Scottish Parliament

Written Answers

Friday 24 September 1999

Scottish Executive

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what strategy it has for the management of freshwater fisheries in Scotland and whether it will list the meetings it has had with representatives from the various organisations active in that sector.

Mr John Home Robertson: An extensive legislative framework regulates freshwater fisheries in Scotland. The sustainable management and development of these fisheries requires a balance to be struck between conservation and access. On 21 September I met with representatives of 'Angling for Change' which groups together bodies with an interest in freshwater fish and fisheries to discuss these issues.

Fisheries

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, whether it will announce the key performance targets for the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency for 1999-2000.

Mr John Home Robertson: For the financial year 1999-2000 I have set the following targets:

  Aerial surveillance – per cent of hours flown on task 86%

  - cost per flying hour on task £951

  Marine surveillance – utilisation of available patrol days 97%

  - cost per effective patrol day £3501

  Sea Fisheries Inspectorate – cost per catch inspection £78

  - landing declarations checked against actual catches 46%

  Cases for Prosecution

  85% of cases for prosecution to be reported within 6 weeks of offence being detected and 96% within 8 weeks

  Number of cases where court proceedings are taken as percentage of offences reported to prosecuting authorities 84%

  In order to ensure that the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency uses its resources efficiently, I have set it a target to achieve cash releasing efficiency gains of 1.5% during 1999-2000.

  The Chief Executive will be directly accountable to me for the achievement of these targets, which will be reported in the Agency’s Annual Report.

Rural Affairs

Ms Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure that internal audit arrangements exist for the Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Department to control adequately Common Agricultural Policy expenditure.

Mr Jack McConnell: Internal audit coverage in the Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Department (SERAD) is the responsibility of the Scottish Executive Audit Unit (SEAU). As part of its rolling programme of work, the Unit undertakes regular reviews of controls in the different schemes involving Common Agricultural Policy expenditure. Internal audit plans for the coverage of these schemes, together with reports on the scope and outcome of audit reviews, are considered by the Department’s Audit Committee.

  Central to the overall audit arrangements for part of Community Expenditure is a Protocol between the European Commission and SERAD, to which the Commission’s Financial Controller, the Department’s Accounting Officer and Head of SEAU are co-signatories. This document promotes closer co-operation between the Commission and SERAD in the audit and administration of expenditure.

Rural Affairs

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its assessment is of the future for sheep farming in the Highlands and Islands.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive fully appreciates the importance of sheep farming to the economy and, particularly, to local communities throughout the Highlands and Islands.

  We are working hard with the industry to overcome the present difficulties with the aim of securing a sustainable future for crofters and farmers who can provide the type of product for which there is a secure market.